


little boat

by Woodswolf



Series: in one universe [3]
Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Family Feels, Gen, Introspection, Isolation, Loneliness, Prophetic Visions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 12:32:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18873289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Woodswolf/pseuds/Woodswolf
Summary: some part of him knows that it should rain soon. a storm should form out of the northeast and blow west-southwest and bring with it pounding thunder and driving rain. it should shake the prison tower to its foundations and turn the ocean outside into a deadly mass of forceful waves.(in one universe)it's in the days and hours like these that his mind wanders. he is unrestrained from his physical body, unrestricted by any reality, and he is free.





	little boat

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [you look just fine on your own](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15584034) by [karasunonolibero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/karasunonolibero/pseuds/karasunonolibero). 



> part two of a series of four short, related oneshots, each based on a panel from [this post](https://woodswolf-writes.tumblr.com/post/184905082525/unsends-in-one-universe). this part is based on the top right panel.
> 
> another story i wrote a few years ago, [a love letter, maybe](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14012367), is vaguely connected to this series, though it's not necessary to have read it to read this.
> 
> the title comes from the song "Little Boat" by Daniel Rogers.

_ (in one universe) _ it's in the days and hours like these that his mind wanders. he is unrestrained from his physical body, unrestricted by any reality, and he is free.

sometimes, when he gets like this, he feels himself drawn away - perhaps transported - into another time or place or reality. sometimes he sees memories, as vivid as the days they were formed. he sees fire and rain, snow and ice. he sees his son - ten years, six years, three years, one year, newly born. he feels himself die and he feels himself become awake moments later with dark creatures standing over him, gloating of their power.

but sometimes he sees other things. visions of things he cannot hope to understand - they terrify him, sometimes. he sees a great serpent older than time itself, or a dark god scheming to destroy the world. he sees his captors like something out of a twisted memory, made of shadows and teeth instead of magic and bone. he sees a ghost swearing revenge and a genie stirring in a bottle forevermore.

he sees these terrible things and he fears them, sometimes. even if they're not real. because sometimes the devils you know are less terrifying than the demons you don't.

but today is different. because today he sees something he could almost call peaceful. today he sees a boat, faithfully gliding across the calm sea. there are eight people on the boat, staring across to the new continent on the horizon with faceless gazes.

one of them, though. one of them is different. she's a woman, not tall but not short, with graying hair hanging in a long, neat braid from the back of her head. she wears glasses. her eyes are the most beautiful things he's ever seen.

the vision is gone as soon as it had appeared, and he's left adrift in his thoughts, leaning against the windowsill and staring out to sea.

some part of him knows that it should rain soon. a storm should form out of the northeast and blow west-southwest and bring with it pounding thunder and driving rain. it should shake the prison tower to its foundations and turn the ocean outside into a deadly mass of forceful waves.

(some part of him knows that there's a ship out there, a ship that's real. some part of him knows that it should get battered by the storm and drift aimlessly only to arrive here, on his island. some part of him - a part he's never been able to explain - knows this should be.)

but  _ (in this universe) _ the sky remains clear. there is no eastern ship, no northern downpour. everything is as it always was, as it always has been, and as it always will be.

but he hears a noise, and he turns slightly. echo is there. his son is there and he can't imagine where else he could ever be.

his son approaches and they embrace. it's not desperate, and it's not forceful, but it's not soft or light. this is a very needy embrace, one that says without saying "i love you and i don't know what i would do without you".

and they hold on like that for a long time, locked together by bond and circumstance and fate. and then they let go, and they stare out at the sea together.

_ (in this universe) _ there is no terrifying storm. there is no need to seek shelter in the darkness of the secret basement far below. there is no loud and violent landing the next morning, and there is no boat, and there is no woman with eyes like precious gemstones.

and  _ (in this universe) _ it's okay. because  _ (in this universe) _ he's not alone.


End file.
